Improvement in burial-caskets



S. HASSALL Burial-Gaskets.

Patented Sept. 16, 1879.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM S. HASSALL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD HUTCHIN SON, OF SAME PLACE.

0 IMPROVEMENT IN BURIAL-GASKETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 219,721, dated September 16, 1879; application filed Ma5T 14, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM S. HASSALL', of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Burial-Gaskets, which improvement is fully set forth in the following speciication and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top or plan view of the casket embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof in line a: w, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section in line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section in line z e, Fig. l. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are views of detached parts.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to burialcaskets which have a horizontalinner ledge for the support of the cover.

Thesaid in vention consists, partly, in the combination, with the cover, elastic catches depending therefrom, and slotted bars which brace `said catches, of a horizontal ledge on the inside of the casket, which ledge is constructed with a top face to support said cover, a broader bottom face to engage said catches, and an intermediate inclined face which allow's the beveled faces of the catches to ride over it in the act of applying the cover.

The said invention also consists in combining, with said brace-bar, coffin-cover, coflinbody catches, and ledge, supplemental catches which connect the aforesaid catches to the brace-bars.

Finally, the said invention consists in a bracing-rack provided with hooks at each end for attaching it to the coffin-body, in combination with a ledge perforated to receive these hooks.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the body of the casket, consisting of a metallic case or box, preferably cast in one piece, and B represents the lid, iormed of a iiat piece of metal.

On the inner face of the body A, near the top thereof, there projects a horizontal ledge, C, which, when the body A is formed of cast metal, is integral therewith.

Depending from the under face of the lid B, near the sides thereof, are L-shaped springcatches D, which are so disposed that when the lid is applied in position said catches ride over the beveled face of the ledge C and'spring under the ledge.

The upper face, E, ot' ledge O is narrower than the` lower face thereof'. This upper face forms a shoulder for supporting the cover B, which is flush with the rim of the body Awhen in position. The broad lower face of the ledge G engages with the catches D when the cover is on. The action of the inclined intermediate face of said ledge on the beveled faces of said catches has already been described.

F designates a bracing and binding rack, provided at its ends and sides with hooks F', which enter vertical openings in the ledge C. This rack is easily detachable by lifting, but will retain its position under other circumstances. Besides holding the body A in shape, it aids to support lid B.

The horizontal parts of catches D are passed through slotted brace-bars Gr. Both catches and brace-bars are attached to the under side of lid B; or an additional spring-catch, as shown in Fig. 5, may be used for attaching each catch D to a brace-bar, G, which is attached to cover B.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In combination with cover B,i slotted brace-bars G, and elastic catches D, a coffinbody having a horizontal inner ledge which is constructed with a top face to support said cover, a broader bottom face to engage said catches, and an intermediate face inclined downwardly and inwardly to allow the beveled faces of the catches to ride over the same in the act of applying the Vsaid cover.

2. In combination with body A of a metal coffin having perforated ledge C, a rack, F, having hooks F at its ends and sides, and serving bot-h to bind together the sides of the coffin and to sustain the lid, all arranged substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In combination with the cover and body of a coffin, the brace-bar G, ledge E, catches D, and supplemental horizontal catches, attached at one end to catches D, and clutching bars G with the other, substantially as set, 

